I really enjoy cooking on a barbeque and I am not alone. There is obviously some deep seated male gene that drives a primal urge to stand over a smoking grill, slurping a drink and seeing if you can burn your eyebrows off before the mosquitoes drive you insane.

Given the number of super swish upscale grills that are now on the market this should be a booming market segment for cooking utensils, to help the outdoor chef. Oddly though, this is not the case and apart from the occasional overpriced stainless steel barbeque tool set, there is not much out there to help the outdoor cooking process.

So, I was very interested when I heard about the “Pig Tail Food Flipper”, a very different tool for handling meat and other foods on a grill.

The Pig Tail comes in a varnished wooden carrying case and for a reasonable $29.95 (plus S&H). The box contains two Pig Tails, one medium and one large. You can see where they get their odd name from. The tool is a hardwood handle on a stainless steel shaft that ends in a sharp pointed curved hook – not unlike a pig’s tail.

We tested both of the Pig Tails on steaks, veggies and a variety of other foods including corn on the cob in boiling water.

When it comes to flipping steaks both the large and small Pig Tail has no real competition. My favorite tongs cannot match the easy handling and effortless ability to move and turn the steaks. Basically, you hook a steak with a simple twisting action and then can move, flip or lift it, with great confidence.

There are some foods that the Pig Tail won’t help with. I imagine that a flaky fish or a loosely packed burger would not be at all easy to move. However, most things we tried we easily hooked and lifted, especially the steaks and corn.

The Pig Tails feel nice in the hand and are long enough to keep you well away from the grill heat. I was concerned that I would not have the same level of control as with my regular tongs, but after a few minutes use, I was completely at home with them.

We only really had one problem and that was with thin sliced zucchini. These slippery little items insisted on leaping off the end of the Pig Tail and diving into the flames. Obviously squash is not as dense or structured as meat, which was probably the problem.

If you are worried about finishing your barbeque with a piece of food that resembles a pin cushion, have no fear. The holes that the Pig Tail creates are small and seem to disappear a few seconds after you remove the tool. I also don’t think that any additional meat juices were lost during the cooking process.

The quality of the Pig Tail is excellent. The hardwood handles are pleasingly shaped and varnished. The shafts are of heavy duty stainless steel and are generously engineered. They clean up with a wipe and with reasonable care should last a lifetime.

So, am I hanging up my tongs? When it comes to steaks, I would say a definite yes. As to the green squash, since when did real men eat veggies other than corn anyway? This is an innovative and fun gadget. It’s well made, moderately priced for the quality. I suspect that it would make a much appreciated Father’s Day or other holiday gift for anyone who enjoys outdoor cooking.